Where Do We Go From Here
by beancounter22765
Summary: The twins have left with their grandparents, now what?
1. Saying Goodbye

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 1 – Saying Goodbye

Matsunaga-san and Nakamura-san stood silently watching the minivan with the twins drive away. They both knew that it was best for Aoi and Akane to live with their grandparents and get to know their father again. That did nothing to sooth the ache of letting go after two years of being an unconventional, but happy family.

Nakamura-san was first to speak. "I'm glad it was sunny today."

Matsunaga-san replied, "Me, too."

Tentatively Nakamura-san started to ask, "Matsunaga-san…"

"Yes?" he replied as he turned to look at her.

"Did I manage to be a proper babysitter?"

Matsunaga-san was confused by the question, "Huh?"

Nakamura-san started to explain, "I tried to say goodbye without crying today but I cried anyway. It wasn't just today. There have been so many times that I wondered if I was doing the right things. I wish I were an adult with the training, certificates, and experience to handle things better. Then I could have said goodbye properly."

"Nakamura-san, I hired several professional babysitters before I met you. There is one thing that I know for sure, we did not need a professional babysitter. Like I tried to tell you that first time I walked you home from the supermarket, we couldn't survive without you. And then there was that time in the kitchen, after I told you about the twins moving and we talked about the broken cup and other things that were upsetting you. For Aoi and Akane, and even for me, it had to be you.

It wasn't wrong for you to cry when you are sad. We needed to see all your emotions. When you show your feelings, we feel reassured that you love us."

Gently Matsunaga-san took Nakamura-san's hand and continued, "For the last two years you have been there for us. Thank you. Thank you for showering the twins with so much love."

As Nakamura-san began to cry softly, Matsunaga-san took her other hand in his as well. He waited patiently for her to work through her tumultuous thoughts and feelings.

Nakamura-san's thoughts flitted through the past two years. The years before that at the orphanage were very difference from the time with Matsunaga-san and the twins. They had given her the opportunity to experience real family life in a home. Maybe that was why it was so hard to see the twins go.

After Nakamura-san's tears slowed and she wiped them away, Matsunaga-san said, "Let's go in the house and talk for a little while."

The house looked so empty and lonely already, even though the furniture would remain. All of the twins' things had been loaded into the minivan and went with them. There were a couple boxes sitting in the entryway that contained Matsunaga-san's belongings and those would go with him when he left later.

On the kitchen table were two library books and Nakamura-san's cup. As they sat down, Nakamura-san ran her fingers lightly over the books. "I will have to return those on my way home. I did promise the librarian that I would."

Matsunaga-san picked up the cup and turned it idly in his hands. "I want you to take the cup with you today when you leave. Please let it remind you of all the good times we had together."

Nakamura-san reached for the cup and ran her finger around the rim. "Thank you," she murmured.

"Will you be okay?" Matsunaga-san asked, reaching to take Nakamura-san's hand. "I know what the twins have meant to you." After a brief pause, he continued, "What are your plans for the future?"

"Well, after the visit to my old neighborhood, I had to re-think my plans for university. All my previous plans revolved around moving back to the apartment where I lived with my mother. Since the apartment building isn't there anymore and everything else has changed as well, there is no more reason to go back.

I talked to my guidance counselor again. Without the location constraint, he was able to give me information on child care programs at several universities, most of which have scholarships available. Some even have work programs that provide on-site housing. I am applying to five different programs. They require references and my sensei at the child care center has agreed to be one. Is it okay if I provide your name and contact information as a second reference?

"I would be honored to provide a reference for you," Matsunaga-san replied, smiling gently and stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "I wish there was more that I could do."

"You have done so much already," Nakamura-san replied. "With all that you paid me for babysitting, I have some money set aside for things that the scholarships won't cover."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.

Tentatively, Nakamura-san asked, "What are your plans?"

"Well, my supervisor is anxious for me to be more available now that I am no longer responsible for my niece and nephew. With that in mind, I have rented a small apartment just a few blocks from the television station where I work," Matsunaga-san explained.

Holding Nakamura-san's hands between his own, he looked deep into her eyes. "I can't tell you how much I am going to miss you. Having you and the twins here to greet me at night when I get home has something that I am going to miss more than I can express," he whispered.

"You have given me so much. I didn't have much of a family life when I was growing up. My mother worked, my father spent his time with his mistress, and my brother spent most of his time with friends. There were very few home cooked meals and even fewer family outings or celebrations. I only have a few special memories with my brother, like when he taught me to ride a bike. I have more precious memories from these two years with you and the twins than in all my years growing up."

Nakamura-san look up shyly, "You have given me so much as well. I cannot express how much I have enjoyed being a family with you and the twins. In a way, it made me miss my mother but it also made me appreciate the five years that I had with her. Thank you for giving me my first key, coming to my school festival, and including me in holiday celebrations. Even the simple shopping trips have been special to me."

For a few minutes they sat there in silence, remember all the good times that they had together. Then Matsunaga-san shifted in his chair and said, "At least we'll be able to get together with the twins occasionally. We will see each other then."

Brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, Nakamura-san took a deep breath and said, "I'm looking forward to that but I know I will have a busy time with university and work. That means the times that we do get together will be even more special."

"It's getting late, I should probably take you home," Matsunaga-san said as he stood up. "We'll stop by the library on the way to return the books and then I can drop you off at the orphanage."

Nakamura-san picked up the cup and the books and moved toward the entryway. As she put on her jacket and shoes, Matsunaga-san did the same. Then she held the door open while he picked up the boxes waiting in the entryway.

After using her house key to lock the door, Nakamura-san turned to Matsunaga-san and asked, "What should I do with the key?"

Smiling, Matsunaga-san replied, "Keep it as a reminder of our time together and as a promise of what the future will bring."

Nakamura-san blushed lightly as she slipped the key back into her pocket.

Matsunaga-san placed the boxes on the sidewalk while he unlocked the minivan. He opened the back hatch while Nakamura-san climbed into the passenger seat. After putting the boxes in the cargo area, Matsunaga-san climbed into the driver seat.

Neither spoke during the short drive to the library. Matsunaga-san waited in the minivan while Nakamura-san returned the library books. Then he drove the remaining distance to the orphanage.

As Nakamura-san opened to door to climb out, Matsunaga-san placed his hand on her arm, "You know you can call me anytime, right?"

Squeezing his hand gently, she responded, "I know and thank you. You can call me anytime you need to, as well." Then she climbed out of the minivan.

Matsunaga-san watched as Nakamura-san walked up the sidewalk to the orphanage. She turned and waved to him before opening the door to the orphanage. Wanting to prolong his time with her, he did not shift into gear and pull away from the curb until she was safely inside.

Taking a deep breath, he thought to himself, "It's going to be a long ten years but hopefully we'll be together at the end of it. I'll just have to keep myself busy with work and cherish the moments I do get to see her until then."

For now, he would get settled into his new apartment and concentrate on doing his best at his job.


	2. Shiharu: Next Steps

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 2 – Shiharu: Next Steps

Shiharu ran her hand lightly over the desk as she looked around the empty room. She wanted to be sure that she didn't leave anything behind. Today was her eighteenth birthday and time for her to move out of the orphanage. It was hard to believe that this had been her space for thirteen years. So much of her life happened here.

Memories came flooding back. She had spent most of her life so far here, in this room. She remembered her tantrums when she first arrived because she didn't understand what was happening in the wake of her mother's death. Until her realization that there were even younger children in the orphanage that needed help more than she did. That made her realize that she enjoyed helping young children and it became her goal to run a child care center when she grew up. Through the years, there had been a steady stream of companions coming and going, their circumstances changing even though hers remained the same. All the aspects of life—studying, friendships, illnesses, celebrations—played out in an alternative "family" life here at the orphanage.

Taking a deep breath, Shiharu fastened the latches on her suitcase and picked it up from the bed. All of her belongings did not even fill it, there was barely more than she had when she arrived at the orphanage. The only items in the case, besides her clothes, were the gifts from Matsunaga-san. Those few items—scarf, candy dish, mittens, cup, and ring—were her most precious possessions. The suitcase itself had been a graduation gift from the sensei at the Child Care Center where Shiharu had worked for two years.

Thoughts of the Center brought a whole new flood of memories. She fondly remembered her close interactions with the children as they played games, created crafts, learned exercises, fought over toys and friends, and celebrated all manner of holidays. Among those children were the two that became very dear to her heart, the twins Aoi and Akane.

Her job at the Child Care Center had led to an additional job as a babysitter in the home of Aoi and Akane. It had been a very unusual situation because they lived temporarily with their single uncle. Their mother had been killed in a traffic accident and their father had disappeared, overcome by grief. Her two years as part of a constructed family had been an absolute joy. After eleven years in the orphanage, she relished the experience of family life at home with Matsunaga-san and the twins.

On one hand, that had ended when the twins moved to Shizouka to live with of their grandparents, the Takegawas. On the other hand, the Takegawa's insisted that Shiharu continue to be part of the twins' lives and visit regularly. It would be a two hour trip each way but Shizouka was still close enough for an occasional day trip to be possible. They even welcomed her to stay overnight when her schedule allowed it.

March had been such a whirlwind month for Shiharu. First, there was White Day and Matsunaga-san's confession followed by a but-wait-ten-years, sort-of rejection. Then the twins' father finally returned just before Aoi and Akane moved to their grandparents' home. Finally, Shiharu had graduated from high school and received offers of scholarships from two of the five programs she applied for.

Now it was April, her birthday, time to move out of the orphanage, and on to the next chapter of her life.

"Rio, Takeru, thank you so much for helping me today. I just need to meet with the head mistress and then we can go," Shiharu said as she set her suitcase by the front door where her friends were waiting.

"Take your time," Rio replied glancing at her watch, "my mom should be here in fifteen minutes or so."

"Thanks," Shiharu tossed over her shoulder as she knocked gently on the head mistress's door and waited for a response.

"Come in."

"The room is empty and clean," Shiharu reported, a bit wistfully.

The head mistress looked up and smiled sadly. "I expected nothing less from you, Shiharu. You have always been conscientious with your chores. You will be greatly missed around here, and not just by the children.

Here is the stipend that you are entitled to as you leave the orphanage and here is the paperwork you need to sign.

Do you know where you will be going?"

As Shiharu picked up the papers, she replied, "I received responses from two of the programs I applied for. I chose to accept the scholarship to Tokyo Future University Welfare and Childcare College. It has the training that I want and it includes room and board in addition to a job at their on-site child care center."

After reading the paperwork thoughtfully, she signed it and handed it back to the head mistress. "Is there anything else I need to do?" Shiharu asked.

"Since you have already said your goodbyes, I think that is everything," the head mistress replied. Then she stood up and walked around her desk. Pulling Shiharu into a hug she murmured, "Take care of yourself and keep in touch. After you finish your training, maybe you could come back here to work?"

"Thank you for everything," Shiharu replied in a shaky voice, "And I will keep the job offer in mind." As she stepped out of the embrace, she picked up the envelope with her stipend, and turned to go. "I will always remember my time here fondly," she said as she stepped through the door and then closed it behind her.

Rio could see the unshed tears in Shiharu's eyes but decided not to mention them. Instead, she said, "My mom just arrived. I sent Takeru out with your suitcase. Are you finished with everything here?"

Taking a deep breath and wiping the back of her hand lightly across her eyes, Shiharu responded, "I am done here. It's time to move on to the next chapter of my life, becoming the adult that Matsunaga-san expects me to be."

"Too bad he couldn't be here today," Rio stated, "especially since it is your eighteenth birthday."

"It's not his fault," Shiharu replied, "The television station sent him to Hokkaido for some location shoots. He won't be back until sometime next week. They have been working him very hard since he became more available last month. It's no wonder that his popularity has been climbing even faster than the past two years."

As Shiharu and Rio climbed into the car where Takeru and Rio's mother were waiting for them, Rio's mother said, "We're taking you out to lunch for your birthday before we drop you off at the University."

"You don't have to do that," Shiharu protested.

Rio shook her head and replied, "We don't have to, but we want to."

"What better way to send you off on your new adventure than a good meal with good friends?" Takeru inserted into the conversation.

The four of them had a comfortable lunch discussing their plans. While Shiharu would be attending Childcare College, Rio would be taking classes at the same University Takeru attended. They reminisced about their adventures together and laughed about the good times. All too soon, it was time to drop Shiharu off.

After promising to keep in touch and waving goodbye as the car pulled away, Shiharu squared her shoulders and walked up the steps to the dormitory where she would be living for the next four years. It was time to check in with her new sensei and start the new chapter of her life.


	3. Seiji: Back to the Grind

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 3 – Seiji: Back to the Grind

Seiji sighed in frustration and tried not to fidget with his cup of coffee as the meeting dragged on and on. "If Sakurai would just shut up," Seiji thought rudely, dropping any semblance of honorifics for his co-worker Sakurai Miuru, "and let Yamamoto-san finish assigning the stories, then we could start planning the shooting schedule." Yamamoto Ryo was the supervisor for the Hokkaido shoot. The station planned a tightly packed schedule to cover the 'Top Ten Events in Hokkaido in the Spring.'

It was bad enough that Miuru had spilled a glass of water on Seiji's cell phone yesterday at the public relations dinner the crew had to attend with the mayor of Sapporo. He suspected that she did it on purpose in retaliation because he refused to make her Valentine's Day rumors about their 'relationship' a reality. Thinking of Valentine's Day reminded Seiji of the trip to the amusement park and Shiharu's relief when Seiji told her the rumors about him and Sakurai were false. Then there was the ferris wheel ride and the chocolates that Shiharu gave him (for the second year in a row).

That led him to think about White Day and his confession to Shiharu. Seiji blushed ligthly at his thoughts. In his thoughts, she was no longer Nakamura-san, the safe employer/employee form of address. Now she was Shiharu, the woman he was in love with and to whom he had confessed—and then told her that they would wait ten years so she would have time to experience life. Being nine years older than her, he felt that she should have the opportunity to be sure that their relationship was the right one for her.

Today was April 18th, Shiharu's birthday. Even though he did not have time to call her yet to wish her 'Happy Birthday,' he wished he could at least send a text but that brought back to mind the condition his phone thanks to Sakurai. Hopefully he would have time, if this meeting would ever end, to pick up a new phone later today.

Seiji shook his head slightly to pull his attention back to the meeting just as Yamamoto-san stated blandly, "Sakurai-san, you are already on probation for your near breach of contract. That stunt you pulled before Valentine's Day was an embarrassment."

"I thought there was chemistry between Seiji and me," Miuru pouted, "Wouldn't it boost ratings if people knew we were a couple?"

With a derisive snort, Yamamoto-san responded, "The head of the station prefers that Matsunaga-san remain unattached. His popularity with female viewers hinges on his availability.

If you insist upon continuing this behavior, it does not matter how popular you are, the station head has made it clear you will be fired," the supervisor stated bluntly, pointedly ignoring any further protests from Miuru.

"Matsunaga-san, you are assigned Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park and Lake Toya for the first week. The second week will be the various events around Sapporo. The third week will be the Unkoi Terrace and Asahiyama Zoo. You will be incorporating the local foods with each of the locations," Yamamoto-san stated.

Batting her eyelashes coyly, Miuru asked, "Who will be working with him on those?"

Yamamoto-san chuckled, "Matsunaga-san is a big boy and he can handle these all on his own. On the other hand, you definitely need supervision. I am assigning you to work with Daito Masaya.

Daito-san, you will have the road trip to Biei and Furano during the first week. The second week will be the Shibazakura Festival in Takinoue and the spring flowers at Farm Tomita. Be sure to include the lavender soft serve ice cream at Farm Tomita. The third week will be the alpine flowers on Rebun Island.

Sakurai-san, I do not want to hear any complaints from you. If your work is not satisfactory, you will be sent back to Tokyo and your services will no longer be required by the station. To be blunt, you screw up and you're fired. Got it?"

"Fine," Miuru huffed indignantly.

"Takagi-san, you will cover the various cherry blossom viewing sites. The first week you will be at Fort Goryokaku, second week Matsumae Castle Park, and then Seiryu-ji temple the third week. Will you take Suzuki Tao with you and show her how we do things?" Yamamoto-san finished.

"I'd be happy to help Suzuki-san find her footing in the crew," Hana replied.

"Good," the supervisor said, clapping his hands together, "Now that you have your assignments, let's break for lunch. Takagi-san, I want to meet with your group in two hours to develop a shooting schedule. That should give you enough time to get something to eat and do enough research to decide what each shoot will entail.

Daito-san, I will meet with your group in four hours to plan the shooting schedule.

Matsunaga-san, since you have the most involved assignment, I will meet with you and your crew tomorrow morning."

Each of the announcers acknowledged their appointment time with Yamamoto-san before leaving the meeting room. Takagi Hana called her team together so they could decide where to have lunch that would also allow them to do the research to prepare for their meeting. Daito Masaya told his crew to go grab whatever they wanted for lunch and meet in the conference room in thirty minutes.

Matsunaga Seiji gestured for his crew to meet in the corner near the meeting room. "Since our meeting is tomorrow, let's meet up at Suage Honten at eight tonight and I'll treat you all to dinner. Spend your afternoon however you like but please spend a little time researching each of the locations we will be shooting. Hopefully we'll each bring something different and that will make the finished product better.

Have fun and I'll see you at eight. I apologize that I don't have a phone right now for you to call if you have questions. On my way to lunch, I will pick up a new phone so I should have it before our dinner tonight."

Seiji remembered seeing a store on the way back to the hotel last night where he should be able to get a replacement phone. Hopefully transferring information from his old phone to his new one would go smoothly. He could not remember Shiharu's phone number because he had not entered it into his phone. It had been placed there during the synch-up when Shiharu bought her phone, just before her high school trip to Hokkaido. The irony that his phone had to be replace in Hokkaido was not lost on him.

An hour later, Seiji was seated comfortably in Ramen Sapporo Ichiryuuan having lunch. It had taken longer than expected, but the employee at the phone store was able to transfer all of his information from his old phone to his new one. Now he could call Shiharu and wish her a 'happy birthday.'

Before pressing the button, he contemplated the last time he saw her. He remembered how cute she looked when he dropped her off at the orphanage the day the twins, Aoi and Akane, had left to live with their grandparents. His schedule had been so busy since then that, he just did not have time to see her. He was only able to send a text to congratulate her on her high school graduation. He had been in planning and scheduling meetings that entire day and the supervisor had almost caught him sending the text during the working dinner.

It had only been a little over a month and he already missed her so much. He had not been able to make it to her graduation and now he could not make it for her birthday, her move out of the orphanage, or her move to University. At least he could call and talk to her for a few minutes.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button and listened to the ringing. After what seemed like an eternity, but was only a minutes, she answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Happy birthday, Nakamura-san," Seiji said softly, "How has your day been going?"

"Matsunaga-san, it's you!" Shiharu almost squealed in delight, "I'm having lunch with Takeru, Rio, and Rio's mother before they drop me off at University. I am so glad you called. How is the shoot going in Hokkaido?"

"We just got the story assignments before lunch. It's a lot more involved than originally planned," Seiji replied. "How have you been? I hated missing your graduation. I wish I would have been there with you today, too."

"I'm glad you were at least able to call," Shiharu sighed.

"I almost couldn't do that," Seiji chuckled, "Someone spilled water on my phone at the public relations dinner. I just picked up a new phone. You are my first call on it."

Shiharu giggled, "I feel privileged. Oh, Takeru and Rio say 'hi.' The Takegawa's invited me to spend the weekend with them in two weeks for the Sakura Festival in Shizouka. Will you be there?"

Seiji replied dejectedly, "I won't be able to make it. The Hokkaido shooting schedule has been extended to four weeks. We have planning this week and shooting for the next three weeks. It will be late May before I get home again."

"I hate to cut this short because I've missed you but we need to finish lunch and get me to University," Shiharu said gently.

"I miss you, too, Nakamura-san," Seiji replied softly, "Take care of yourself. Bye."

"Bye," Shiharu whispered before disconnecting the call.

Seiji leaned his head against his hand that held his phone. How would he ever survive ten years? Even the prospect of seeing her during visits with the twins struck his as insufficient given his busy schedule. Maybe his busy schedule would be just the thing to keep his mind off how much he missed her.


	4. Shiharu: University and Visits

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 4 – Shiharu: University and visits

The twins were coming for Hanami in two weeks and Shiharu was so excited. It had been five long years since Aoi and Akane had moved to Shizouka to live with their grandparents. Those had been a very busy five years for Shiharu. She had attended University to earn her Class 1 child care worker certificate and last year she had been hired at the Child Care Center where she had worked during high school.

Shiharu had made a number of trips to Shizouka to see the twins but this is the first time they would be coming to Tokyo to see her. She hoped it would be a lot of fun for all of them, including Rio who had been with her when Akane had called to surprise Shiharu with the news.

Shiharu remembered the rocky start at University. Her scholarship required her to work at the on-site child care center and live in the attached dormitory. The dorm sensei, Tokuma Haruna, had not been very friendly at first. She had been the dorm sensei and head of the child care center for about twenty years. Most of the girls who lived in the dormitory and worked in the center were careless and flighty, at times causing more problems than actually helping with the children. During Shiharu's first year in the program, two girls had even been dismissed because they slapped children in their care.

Most of the other girls living in the dormitory had their own group of friends with them at University and most of them were not interested in getting to know an orphan. Shiharu made a few acquaintances but none as close as Rio. Shiharu knew if she mentioned that she knew Matsunaga-san, the other girls would either call her a liar or beg to be introduced. She would never inundate him with fan-girls, so she kept their relationship a secret. She definitely did not want anyone to know that he had confessed to her and given her a ring.

In addition to her classes, Shiharu worked twenty-eight hours per week in the center. During the long breaks when there were no classes, she worked up to forty hours per week. She enjoyed her time with the children. They reminded her of the orphanage where she grew up, the child care center where she had worked in high school, and the twins.

Shiharu had enjoyed her classes very much. It was interesting to learn about child development, first aid, discipline techniques, and teaching philosophies. The more she learned, the more certain she was about her decision to be a child care worker. Some of her classmates had realized the exact opposite. They decided that being a child care worker was not for them. "Well, better to figure that out while in school than after they were working in the field," Shiharu thought.

During the first two weeks, Sensei Tokuma met with each of the girls who lived in the dormitory and worked in the center. Shiharu was the last one that sensei interviewed and Shiharu remembered it vividly.

"Nakamura-san, please have a seat," Sensei Tokuma said as she motioned to a chair. "I would like to get to know you a little better. You have an impressive application, especially your references."

"Thank you," Shiharu replied politely, a little unsure of herself.

"I see that you grew up in an orphanage. Can you tell me a little about that," the sensei questioned.

Shiharu took a deep breath to collect her thoughts and then she began her story. "I was five years old when I went to live in the orphanage. My father died before I was born, my mother died when I was five, and mother's family did not want me. I never knew my father's family.

I had a hard time adjusting at first. I was so young and I did not understand why my mother had not come back. After a little while, I realized that there were children there even younger than I was. I decided to start helping them to learn to take care of themselves just like my mother had taught me to take care of myself. It was then that I decided that I wanted to be a child care worker.

Later, when I was sixteen, I got a job at the child care center attached to the orphanage. It helped me earn money for University as well as providing excellent experience in child care. I had a lot of fun with the children and they seemed to like me."

"That explains the letters of recommendation from the head of the orphanage and the sensei of the child care center. Now please explain the other recommendation from . . . Matsunaga Seiji," Tokuma-san inquired, "Isn't he that popular announcer on television? I did not know that he was married and had children."

"First of all, please don't tell anyone about my connection to Matsunaga-san. I do not want them thinking that they can get to him through me or that I am bragging about knowing a celebrity. He was my employer and a very nice man. I cherish the time I spent caring for his family.

I was the in-home babysitter for Matsunaga-san's twin niece and nephew, Akane and Aoi. There was a traffic accident that killed their mother and severely injured their grandmother. Their father was so traumatized by his wife's death that he disappeared for a while. But before he disappeared, he asked his brother, Matsunaga-san, to take care of the twins. Matsunaga-san had his hands full trying to care for them because Aoi and Akane were afraid of strangers and they cried a lot. You really could not blame them. They were only a year-and-a-half old when their world fell apart.

The twins stayed at the Center during the day while Matsunaga-san was at work. No long after I started working at the Center, he came to pick up Aoi and Akane and they were clinging to me. He was shocked that they were not crying and seem perfectly comfortable with me. He offered me the job of in-home babysitter on the spot.

I spent nearly two years taking care of the twins. Their grandmother recovered fully and the Takegawas, their grandparents, were able to take them in. Just before the twins were to move to their grandparents' home in Shizouka, their father returned. It was good to see their shattered world being pieced back together.

I do miss them greatly. Takegawa-san gave me a rail pass so I can travel to Shizouka to see them occasionally. In fact, that is the reason I asked for the weekend off from Center duties. The Takegawas have asked me to attend the Hanami festivities in Shizouka with them and the twins. Aoi and Akane have been having a little trouble settling in and Takegawa-san hopes a visit from me will help."

Sensei Tokuma replied, "I am impressed with your experience and your enthusiasm. You are not the average girl who comes to University here. Most are thinking about learning child care only as secondary to finding a husband.

I'll admit I was wondering about your request for a weekend off already. If you were like most of the girls, I would have suspected you were meeting up with a boyfriend."

"I do not have a boyfriend," Shiharu responded quietly, reaching up and caressing the ring worn on a chain around her neck. She blushed lightly as she thought of Seiji. Because of the ten year wait, Shiharu did not think he could be considered her boyfriend but he certainly was dear to her.

Shiharu commented, "I don't anticipate that I will be asking for a lot of time away since I have no family obligations. I hope that I will be allowed to take time off in August for Obon to visit my mother's grave, in September for the twins' birthday, in December for Christmas at the Takegawas, and one day in February before Valentine's Day so I can deliver chocolates to the twins and leave Matsunaga-san's birthday present with the Takegawas."

"I will keep those in mind when I work out the schedules," Sensei Tokuma said, "I hope you don't mind evening and weekend hours. Most of the other girl want those off so they have time to go out with friends or meet family obligations."

"That will be fine with me," Shiharu replied.

She had stopped wearing the ring on a chain around her neck when she was working in the Nursery Room at University. Little hands were just too curious and Shiharu did not want one of them to break the chain and put the ring or chain in their mouth. She had been a popular teacher's helper in the campus kindergarten because she seemed to know how to make lessons fun. The hardest group for her to work with was the wakakusa group, the children with disabilities. Unlike the other students who did not like to deal with the extra needs of the children, she felt a deep sense of compassion and worry for them. Most of her work in the University child care center had been with the wakakua group and Sensei Tokuma had been grateful for her help.

Shiharu decided to make omurice for her dinner. She smiled to herself as she remembered 'The Errand' that she and Seiji arranged for the twins to get ketchup for omurice for dinner. Blushing lightly, Shiharu wondered to herself if she should be so bold as to think of him without any honorifics. They had not talked in so long. Their timing was off when it came to visiting the twins. Either he had to leave just as she arrived or he had already been there earlier. Even the texts were getting fewer and fewer. "Oh well, enough of that, it's time to make dinner," Shiharu told herself.

She was comfortable in her little apartment. It was located near enough to the Child Care Center where she worked that she could walk to and from work. It was also easily affordable on her salary so she did not need a roommate.

As she was making her dinner, she pondered, "I wonder what I should pack in the bentos for the Hanami outing? Maybe I'll ask Takegawa-san when she calls next week with the date, time, and place we will be meeting. I'm glad Rio was with me when the twins called with the news. Hopefully Takeru will make it back in time to go to Hanami with us. I wonder if Seiji will be able to make it or if he will have to a location shoot for Hanami. He has been so busy and so popular lately."

As Shiharu ate her dinner, she contemplated the events at work that day. A new child had been enrolled and there were some issues with her behavior. Little Suki-chan was quite a handful, so the other teachers asked Shiharu to work with her. After reading her some stories and playing quietly away from the other children, Suki-chan opened up to Shiharu about her daddy leaving and parents getting a divorce. Then Shiharu understood Suki-chan's behavior, remember a very lively class discussion during Shiharu's third year at University.

The topic of the classroom discussion was professionalism and keeping appropriate emotional distance. Some of the students argued for total emotional detachment. After all, this was a job not family. Others claimed that attachment made it easier to get compliance from the children. The Shiharu spoke up tentatively, "Ichi-san, wouldn't the appropriate emotional distance be different for each child? Wouldn't the child themselves form different attachments based on their circumstances?

For instance, a child from a happy home would feel less need of an attachment to a child care worker than a child who was dealing with some form of trauma, such as a divorce or death of a family member? I have given this a lot of thought as I have been taking my classes and working in the Center.

Without giving away any confidences, I want to tell you about an experience I had when I was in high school. Most of you know my story. I grew up in an orphanage and worked in the attached child care center for two years. During that time, I also worked as an in-home babysitter for twins.

The head of the orphanage warned me at the beginning of my babysitting job that I would need to keep appropriate distance from the family I was working for. I tried but I felt that the twins needed me too much to keep my distance.

The twins had been traumatized by the death of their mother and the disappearance of their father. They were being cared for by their single uncle with a very demanding job. They would have been living with their grandparents but their grandmother was severely injured in the same traffic accident that killed their mother. During the two years I babysat the twins, we became like a family, something I really had not had because I grew up in the orphanage.

After their grandmother recovered, it was decided that the twins would go to live with their grandparents in another town. When the twins were leaving to live with their grandparents, I tried not to cry but I couldn't help it. I had grown attached and it was so hard for me to let them go, even though I knew it was for the best. Later, their uncle told me that the twins had needed to see me cry. They needed to know how much I cared about them."

Ichi-san replied, "Nakamura-san makes some very valid points. First, emotional distance or attachment is not just about you. There are always two people involved in the relationship. Second, the situation can play heavily into the need for or lack of attachment. Next, you need to remember that you are in their life temporarily. You need to be strong enough to let go and let them move on. And finally, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

I want to emphasize that professionalism and emotional distance are two distinct things. While emotional distance or attachment relates to your interactions with a child, professionalism is about how other around you perceive our relationship with the child. As Nakamura-san's story points out, she was emotionally close to the children but the people around her saw her behavior as professional. On the other hand, you can appear professional but not have the appropriate emotional distance with the child or you can have the appropriate emotional distance but be seen as unprofessional in how you conduct yourself.

Always remember that you will be under constant scrutiny as a child care worker. This is a very important profession that your must take very seriously."

Shiharu smiled to herself as she finished her dinner, washed the dishes, and tidied the kitchen. She planned to make some small gifts for the twins, their father, and the Takegawas to give them at Hanami. First, she had to decide what she wanted to make for each of them.

The days passed quickly and Shiharu was excited that tomorrow she would be meeting everyone at the entrance to Sumida Park. Shiharu had called Rio yesterday to pass along the meeting information. Rio said that she and Takeru were looking forward to seeing the twins again.

The bento boxes were all ready and waiting to be pack in the morning. There had still been no word from Seiji about whether he would be able to come or not, but Shiharu was not going to worry about that now. She had not seen the twin since Christmas because they were at friends' houses when she stopped by in February to drop off chocolates and Seiji's birthday present. If Seiji was able to make it, she would deal with her feelings then. Right now she needed to get some sleep before her busy day tomorrow.

Shiharu fell asleep with a smile on her lips as she thought back to all of her memories with the twins.


	5. Seiji: Ten Years is Too Long

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 5 – Seiji: Ten Years is Too Long

Seiji sipped his cup of tea thoughtfully. Kouichi has just sent a text that his client meeting was running long but he would be there in about half an hour. "Oh well, at least I don't have to work tomorrow," Seiji muttered to himself.

"Can I get you anything? Or have you been stood up?" the waitress, Mei, teased.

"Another pot of tea, please Mei. My brother just texted that he is going to be late. I hope it won't be an inconvenience for you," Seiji replied.

"So, still no young lady. A handsome young man like you should be dining with a lovely young lady, not a brother. Oh well, I will bring you another pot of tea right away," Mei responded with a smile and a wink.

Seiji smiled to himself, enjoying the banter with the waitress. He had been coming to this restaurant regularly since he had moved four years ago to be close to the television station. Some nights he cooked for himself, but so many days he was just too tired to shop and cook. Other days it just reminded too much of the times he came home to dinner Shiharu had prepared for him or when he made stir fry for Shiharu and the twins. The food here was good, the prices were reasonable, and the wait staff very friendly. Seiji appreciated the fact that they did not make a big deal about his 'celebrity' status.

In a way, Seiji was glad that Kouichi had a client meeting in Tokyo. It gave them a chance to reconnect outside of Seiji's visits to see the twins. A few beers and some man-talk is what Seiji really needed with his brother. Growing up, they had never been very close and it was more than just the fact that Kouichi was five years older than Seiji. By the time Seiji was nine-years-old, their parents were rarely home. Their mother was always working late and their father was with his mistress.

Kouichi could not stand staying home so he spent most of his time with his friends and at their homes. Seiji was not as social as his brother, so he spent most of him time at home alone. On more than one occasion, Seiji wished that he and his brother had been closer, that he had taken more time to get to know Kouichi's wife, Misaka, and spent more time getting to know Akane and Aoi during the first year and a half of their life. "Oh well, that's all in the past and there is nothing I can do about that now," Seiji pondered.

"Here is your tea," Mei said as she set down the pot, "Be careful, it's very hot." She looked like she wanted to say more but seemed to decide against it. "I'll keep watch for your brother and come to take your orders after he arrives."

As Seiji poured himself a fresh cup of tea and inhaled the steam, he thought of all the times Shiharu made tea for him. He missed those days so much. The two years they had spent taking care of the twins together kept coming to mind more and more. Thoughts of her were almost constant since the Takegawas had given her the surprise party in April to celebrate her graduation from University and her new job. During the past four months, he thought often about the glimpses he had of her at the party. Between the twins' constant chatter and everyone else wanted to talk to her, he barely had the opportunity to say 'hello,' much less 'congratulations'.

Every time he saw Shiharu she was more beautiful and more mature. She was so much more confident and self-assured than when he confessed to her on White Day four years ago. Her years at University had polished that gem that he knew her to be. The changes were all for the better and he felt like he had fallen even more deeply in love with her, if that was possible.

He did not trust himself around her now that she was not a teenage girl anymore. There was no more stigma on a relationship between them even though he was nine years older than her. He had promised her that she could have ten years to experience the world, like he had before they met. He just was not sure anymore that he would be able to wait. Everything reminded him of her and how much he wanted to be with her. There was also the nagging worry that some other man would capture her attention and her heart.

"Hey, brother, sorry I'm late," Kouichi greeted Seiji, pulling him out of his reverie.

"Hey yourself, brother, so good of you to finally show up," Seiji stood and pulled his brother into a brief hug.

Kouichi ruffled his brother's hair and replied, "The client kept going on and on about every little detail of the project. Even after I agreed with everything he wanted and showed him my notes to assure him that all the items were accurately recorded."

"It's fine. I don't have to work tomorrow so we can take as much time as we want to eat dinner and talk," Seiji chuckled, "I'm just glad we could get together like this. I've been thinking a lot lately about our childhood, especially how it was you and me taking care of ourselves.

I have to admit, the fact that you were there for me when our parents were not, was a big part of why I decided to stay in the house with the twins. At the time, the only other option was to place Akane and Aoi with separate extended families in Shizouka. With all they had already lost, I could not allow their sibling to be taken away as well.

As hard as it was for me, a single man with no experience with children, I am immensely glad that I made the sacrifice. If I had not, I would not have gotten to know my niece and nephew . . . and I would not have met Shiharu."

"Ooo, so it's 'Shiharu' now, not 'Nakamura-san'," Kouichi taunted, grinning broadly, "Was more than just babysitting going on?"

Blushing a deep crimson, Seiji sputtered, "It was not like that! There was nothing improper between Nakamura-san—Shiharu and me."

Before Kouichi could tease Seiji any further, Mei stepped up to their table. "Are you ready to order now?" she inquired.

Smiling, Kouichi said, "I'll have shoyu ramen and a beer. Thanks."

"And the usual for you?" she inquired, turning to Seiji.

"No, I think I'll have the same as my brother tonight," Seiji stated.

Mei nodded and said, "I will bring your beers right out. Would you like some gyoza while you are waiting for your ramen?"

Seiji looked to Kouichi, and Kouichi nodded. "Yes, add some gyoza to our order. Thanks, Mei."

"So, how long are you staying in Tokyo?" Seiji asked.

"Just tonight," Kouichi replied, "Thanks for letting me crash at your place. I didn't want to stay in a hotel and I really didn't want to take the train home tonight."

"I'm just glad that you had the time. It's great to see you when I'm in Shizouka to see the twins but I have really felt the need for some time just talking as men," Seiji said a little awkwardly. "I wish we had been closer when we were kids. I wish I had kept in touch with you better after our parents divorced. I wish I had known Misaki better. I really regret the distance between us."

"Hey," Kouichi reached out and grabbed his brother's shoulder, "I have the same regrets and I also wish that we had been closer. I cannot express how much it meant to me that you took care of the twins when I couldn't."

Just then, Mei returned with their beers. "Thanks," the brothers said in unison.

Mei laughed and told them, "Your gyoza will be out in a few minutes. Is there anything else that you need right now?"

"No, thank you. We're good for now," Seiji replied.

Kouichi picked up his glass and took a long drink. "That really hits the spot on a hot August day."

"I know what you mean," Seiji returned as he set his glass back on the table and twirled it between his hands. "You know, that reminds me of a funny story involving Akane."

"What does my daughter have to do with beer?" Kouichi questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, the August just before the twins' third birthday was really hot. In the morning, before I left for work, I put a beer in the refrigerator to have when I got home that night. I expected a grueling shooting schedule and figured it would be a good way to wind down. The twins would be asleep and I would just be able to relax in a cool bath with a cold beer.

When I got home that night, hot and grumpy, I found Akane asleep on the stool in front of the open refrigerator. Apparently, between the twins and the heat, Shiharu fell asleep after putting the twins to bed. Akane got up to get some jelly from the refrigerator that they had made earlier in the day. Instead of getting the jelly, she just sat on the stool in front of the open refrigerator door and fell asleep again.

Needless to say, my beer was warm along with everything else in the refrigerator and my mood was not the best. Shiharu apologized for not keeping an eye on Akane and allowing this to happen. She asked me to hold a glass filled with ice and then she proceeded to pour me a glass of iced tea as she said, 'It's just tea, but try to get drunk on the atmosphere.' I have to admit, the atmosphere she created was much more intoxicating than the beer would have been."

"Wow, that was some babysitter you had," Kouichi commented, "taking care of you as well as the twins."

"it was not like that at all," protested Seiji, trying to hide his blush.

Kouichi looked at his brother with a serious expression, "Seiji, do you have feelings for that girl?"

"She's not a girl anymore, she is a woman," Seiji muttered.

Holding up his hands in a placating gesture, Kouichi chuckled, "So, brother, it appears that you do have feelings for this young woman. Or are you going to try to deny it?"

Seiji ran his hand through his hair and looked a little sheepish, "I do have feelings for Shiharu. I probably fell in love with her the first time I saw her. Because of a meeting with my supervisor, I was late picking up the twins from the Child Care Center. Usually when I would pick them up they would be crying and miserable because they didn't like strangers. Instead of crying and carrying on, I was met with the sight of Aoi and Akane clinging happily—happily, mind you—to a lovely young woman. In my exhaustion and addled state of mind, my offer of employment as a babysitter may have come off sounding like a marriage proposal. At least it all worked out in the end.

Because of all she went through growing up, she was very mature for her age. I kept forgetting that she was just a high school student. In fact, on White Day four years ago, I confessed my love to her and gave her a ring. There I was, a twenty-seven-year-old popular television announcer confessing to a seventeen-year-old high school student like I was some awkward teenager. Just imagine the scandal of a 'celebrity' getting involved with an underage girl. I was completely crazy and in love with her."

"Wait, you confessed and gave her a ring? Why aren't the two of you together? Did she reject you or something?" Kouichi inquired.

Seiji chuckled, "Or something. Actually, after I confessed, I told her that we should wait ten years so that she would have time to experience the world. I wanted her to be sure that I was the one she wanted to be in a relationship with for the rest of her life. The ring was just my selfish way of showing her that my feelings would not change."

"So, basically you confessed to her and then you rejected her," Kouichi commented, "Are you kidding?"

At that point, Mei brought the order of gyoza to the table, "Do you need anything else?"

"Two more beers, please," Seiji responded.

"You are not changing the subject that easily," his brother demanded.

Seiji picked up the chopsticks and pointed them at Kouichi. "I am not changing the subject. I just don't want to talk about it in front of Mei. She teases me mercilessly as it is."

"Why? Does she have crush on you?" Kouichi smirked.

"No. She's married with two children, including a son Shiharu's age," Seiji replied, concentrating on dipping the gyoza in the sauce. "She likes commenting about my lack of feminine companionship when I eat here. If she knew about Shiharu, she would pester me until I brought her here for dinner. I just can't do that right now."

Kouichi's brow furrowed as he asked, "Why can't you do that right now? Did you have a fight with Shiharu?"

"No, it's nothing like that," Seiji blustered, "I don't trust myself around Shiharu right now."

"What do you mean you don't trust yourself around her?"

"Ever since the party in April, I can't stop thinking about Shiharu," Seiji stated bluntly, twirling the glass of beer between his hands, "I just want to take her in my arms and kiss her repeatedly. I promised her ten years to experience the world but I selfishly want to be with her now.

There are times when I am sitting in a boring meeting at work, the coffee is awful, and I'm wishing I had a cup of tea prepared for me by Shiharu. I used to watch her make the tea and she didn't do anything special, but it always tasted amazing.

When I go shopping at the supermarket and all I can think about is the first time Shiharu took the twins to the supermarket and Akane had an encounter with a very angry and rude man when she accidently spilled some juice. Shiharu protected her and calmed her down.

When I go shopping at the Home Center, I remember taking Shiharu there for her birthday, at her request. Several people there mis-took us for a family and I couldn't help wishing it was true."

Kouichi looked at his brother as he paused to take a drink of his beer. Clearing his throat, Kouichi said, "Little brother, I have a confession to make."

Seiji face started to darken in anger and his brother hastily added, "I am not in love with Nakamura-san-or Shiharu-chan, since she is your intended.

I have to confess that I am jealous of the two years you had with Shiharu-chan and the twins. You two had more family time with the twins than Misaki and I had. I am jealous of Shiharu-chan's place in the hearts of the twins. For the first two months after the move to Shizouka, they cried for Shiharu-chan. She spent a lot of time on the phone with them, convincing them to give their grandparents and me a chance to show them how much we loved them too.

I have to confess that I am grateful to Shiharu-chan for all the things she taught the twins and how much love she showed them. They are almost eight years old now, but they act so much more mature than their peers and I'm sure it is all thanks to her.

I am also grateful to Shiharu-chan for stopping me that day when I came by the house. I wanted to run away again. I did not want to face the twins—or you. She welcomed me into the house and into the twins lives again. I did not deserve such kindness and such welcome, but she gave it to me anyway. And then when she followed me out into the night, bringing my coat, I knew that I didn't want to leave again.

The things she told me that night about her life—losing her father and then her mother, growing up in an orphanage, deciding on her career path, and finding a way to follow that path—made me take a hard look at my own life. Yes, I had lost my wife, but I still had my children. I still had my brother and my wife's parents. How could I not move forward with my life when she showed me that it was possible, no matter how much I had lost.

She is a treasure and I hope you two will have a wonderful life together," Kouichi concluded.

Seiji looked at his brother, stunned. He didn't know how to react to his brother's confession. Finally, he reached across the table and gripped his brother's arm. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me be part of the twins' life. Thank you for coming back and allowing me to get to know you better. I hope we can continue to stay close."

The brothers were silent for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts.

They were shaken out of their contemplation as Mei set down their dinners and said, "There you go, gentlemen. Would you like more beer?"

"Yes, please, Mei," Seiji responded distractedly.

Both men bowed their heads and offered thanks for the meal before they started eating.

"Now that the food is here, how about we talked about lighter topics?" Kouichi asked.

"Sounds good to me. What do you have in mind?" Seiji responded.

"Do you have any interesting shoots coming up? Any travel plans?" Kouichi questions.

With that, the brothers talked comfortably while they ate, until the restaurant closed, and they made their way to Seiji's apartment.

Over the next six months, Seiji and Kouichi got together at least once a month when Kouichi was in Tokyo to meet clients or Seiji was in Shizouka to see the twins.

On Valentine's Day, Seiji was relaxing in his apartment. His only plans were to make stir fry for dinner and study the guest profiles for the program at work the next day. Sitting at the table, sipping tea and booting up his latptop, Seiji heard a knock at the door.

"That had better not be Sakurai again," he grumbled to himself, "or I will be reporting her to our supervisor at work. It's been five years and she still doesn't seem to get the hint that I'm not interested."

Seiji couldn't see anything when he looked through the peephole so he asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me," a masculine voice said in falsetto.

Jerking the door open, Seiji growled, "Oikawa, that joke wasn't funny last year, what makes you…" and broke off when he saw that is was not his annoying friend, but his brother, Kouichi.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that it wasn't funny since I am not the one who pulled it last year," Kouichi chortled, "though, I'm not surprised that Oikawa would pull something like that on you."

"Come on in. It wasn't just last year that he pulled it. He has been pulling something similar ever since Sakurai Miuru started a rumor five years ago that she and I were dating. She is still making passes at me on a regular basis," Seiji replied.

Seiji closed the door and took his brother's coat as Kouichi removed his shoes and placed them near the door.

"So, what are you doing here?" Seiji asked, resuming his seat at the table and gesturing for his brother to join him, "I wasn't expecting you for a couple more days."

Kouichi pulled two bags from his duffle and handed the smaller one to Seiji, "That meeting was cancelled and I needed to deliver these are valentine chocolates from Shiharu-chan and the twins."

"Then why did you give me the bag with your name on it," Seiji replied, reaching over and snatching the larger bag from Kouichi's hand, clearly marked 'Seiji.' Then he tossed the smaller bag to his brother.

"You can't blame a guy for trying," Kouich smirked, "I haven't received Valentine chocolates in seven years." At that comment, his face fell and he whispered, "I didn't even get to give Misaki a White Day gift for them."

Sensing the pain in his brother's tone, Seiji stood up and pulled Kouichi into a tight hug. Kouichi could only cling to his brother for a moment as feelings that he had suppressed for years overwhelmed him.

Later, once Kouichi felt in control of himself again, Seiji released him and questioned, "You are staying here tonight, right?"

"Yeah," Kouichi replied, "Are we going to your favorite restaurant for dinner?"

"There is no way you could get me to go out to eat tonight. I can just imagine all those lonely women on the prowl. A celebrity like me with no woman on his arm would be fair game in their eyes," Seiji said, shaking his head vehemently, "I planned to hide in my apartment and make stir fry for dinner. Is that okay with you?"

Kouichi brightened a little, "I would much prefer to stay in tonight. I don't feel like being out in public tonight either, even though I'm not a celebrity."

"Hey, I know it's probably hard, but do you want to talk about Misaki?" Seiji queried as he took two beers form the refrigerator and handed one to Kouich, "I only met her a couple of times but I'd like to know more about her. I want to know what you thought was so special about her."

"Are you sure this is what you want to talk about on Valentine's Day?" Kouichi muttered, "I'd rather hear about the rumors started by Sakurai Miuru."

Seiji shook his head and then said, "Okay, I'll tell you the story about Sakurai's delusions if you'll tell me about Misaki."

"It's a deal," his brother replied, taking a drink of his beer.

Seiji thought for a moment and then started, "We had a staff lunch and Sakurai convinced one of her friends to frame a shot to make it look like Sakurai and I were out to lunch together, just the two of us. Then she 'leaked' the photo and it was speculation all over the gossip columns that we were dating. I had my publicist issue a denial and the station made Sakurai's publicist issue a denial as well. The real story is what happened with Shiharu. She did not follow gossip like most of her peers. Mostly she watched children's shows with Aoi and Akane.

Shiharu's friend, Rio-chan—Takeru's girlfriend—saw the story and tried to hide it, but accidently showed it to Shiharu anyway. Neither of them saw the follow-up story with the denials.

There was a Valentine special for couples at Touto Land Amusement Park and Rio-chan and Takeru convinced Shiharu to bring the twins and ask me to accompany them. Shiharu acted very nervous when she asked me about it and she seemed surprised that I said 'yes' to such a public outing. I thought her nervousness was caused by remembering trouble with some on my fans at one of the smaller shrine events we attended together with the twins for New Year's.

The six of us had a lot of fun at the amusement park. At lunch, Takeru started teasing me with the rumors about Sakurai. I was surprised that they had heard the rumors but not the denials. Shiharu's reaction to finding out about the denails warmed my heart. When I asked if they believed me, she replied, 'Because you are telling me this personally, I believe you.'

After some more games and a snack, we decided to ride on the ferris wheel. Takeru and Rio-chan schemed to take the twins with them in one car, leaving Shiharu and I alone in the other.

At first, she and I were really nervous about being alone together, but then I relaxed and took of the hat, glasses, and scarf I was using as a disguise. Shiharu told me she realized it must be hard being a celebrity, with everyone watching and judging everything I do, even when I'm not working. When I mentioned that I was glad I could relax and be myself around her, she relaxed too.

I don't know if Shiharu would agree, but I like to think of that as our first date."

"Wow," Kouichi grinned, "That's quite a story. Okay, I'll tell you about my first date with Misaki."

With that, Kouich started to reminisce about his life with Misaki as the brothers talked well into the evening.

The next morning, as Kouichi was preparing to leave, he pulled a package out of his duffle. "I almost forgot to give you this," he said, handing it to Seiji, "It's your birthday present."

As Seiji reach for it, Kouichi pulled it back and added, "You are not supposed to open it until your birthday."

"Oh, if I must," Seiji joked and clapped his brother on the shoulder, "Have a good trip. I look forward to when we can get together again."

"Thanks for meeting me for lunch," Kouichi said, "I know you have a busy schedule but we haven't seen each other since Valentine's Day, two months ago."

Seiji sat down in the chair across from his brother and replied, "It's good to see you. I wish you were staying longer but I now your schedule has been getting rather busy too."

Kouichi shrugged, "At least I'm still my own boss so I have more control over my time but I do have some clients who are rather demanding. That's why I can't stay. A call came in just before the meeting with my Tokyo client this morning. I have to consult on a last minute change for a client in Shizouka and that means I have to catch the train right after lunch."

"I'm glad I was able to slip out to have lunch with you at least," Seiji replied, "I'm scheduled for a late night tonight anyway."

Just then they reach the counter to order their food. "We'll have two orders of udon, please, and a pot of tea," Kouichi said.

"Okay, that will be 2500 yen," the cashier responded.

Seiji paid for lunch before Kouichi had a chance pull out his wallet. Kouichi shrugged and picked up the tray with their lunch.

After they found a table to sit down, they bowed their heads and offered thanks for the meal.

Seiji poured tea for each of them and then asked nervously, "So, did Shiharu like her White Day present?"

Kouichi chuckled, "She blush rather prettily when she opened it. She said the watch was perfect for a child care worker."

"I know I shouldn't have worried, she likes anything I get for her," Seiji sighed, "I just want to be with her so much. In fact, I want to see her and ask if she would be willing to shorten the ten years."

"Why don't you just call her up and ask?" Kouichi prodded.

"This is something that needs to be done face-to-face, but I don't want to scare her," Seiji replied, "I have notice that Shiharu has seemed tentative around me when we've both been to see the twins at the same time. It's probably my fault for keeping my distance. If I just go to see her, she will probably think that I want to break things off."

Kouichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Maybe a group or family outing would make things easier."

Seiji pondered the suggestion for a few minutes while he ate and then said, "That's it! How about Hanami Festival at Sumida Park here in Tokyo next month? Shiharu and I can take the twins to see the cherry blossoms and you can take the Takegawas on a tour of Tokyo, including the Sky Tree. Takegawa-sama likes to imply that there was more going on between Shiharu and me during those two years we spent taking care of the twins."

"That sounds good. How about I have Akane call Shiharu-chan to tell her the plan for them to come to Tokyo for the Hanami Festival? We won't mention the tour for the Takegawas. That way Shiharu-chan will think it is just another family outing," Kouichi supplied.

Seiji smiled, "Well, it sounds like we have a plan. Thank you for all of your help. Hopefully, everything will work out."

The brothers finished their lunch in silence just in time for Seiji to return to work and Kouichi to catch his train.

That evening, during a break from filming, Seiji checked his phone and found that he had received a text message from Kouichi that just said, "Call me." Nervously, he dialed his brother's number and waited for him to answer.

"Yes," Kouichi answered.

"I got your text. What's up? Is something wrong?" Seiji asked cautiously.

"Just a small change in the plan, hopefully nothing the will wreck things. Rio-chan was with Shiharu-chan when Akane called her. The plan now includes Takeru and Rio-chan joining us for the Festival. Will that be a problem?"

Seiji paused before he replied, "No…that shouldn't be a problem. Things may even work out better. Rio-chan and Takeru can keep an eye on Aoi and Akane while I talk to Shiharu alone."

"I hope everything works out for you two. You both deserve to be happy," Kouichi said, "I'll let you know the date and time after the details are finalized."

"Thanks, big brother. I have to go to work. The supervisor is signaling me that break is over," Seiji responded.

"We'll talk soon, little brother. Bye," Kouichi finished.

"Bye," Seiji echoed and hung up, breathing out a sigh. Plans were now in motion and he could only hope and pray for the best.


End file.
